My left testicle hurts. Not always, but only when I think of the pain or touch it. I’ve had it now for some months. Is it dangerous?

Thank you for your question. There can be many possible reasons for pain involving one or both testicles. Since testicles are a very sensitive area of the body, even a minor injury can be very painful. Other possible reasons for pain may include: inflammation, swelling (the build-up of fluid), a urinary tract infection, a hernia, or a varicocele (which is where the veins of the testicles aren’t able to drain blood effectively, leading to large veins within the scrotum or ‘ball sack’). Another potentially very serious cause of pain is a condition called ‘testicular torsion,’ where a testicle becomes twisted on itself and begins to lose its blood flow — this typically results in sudden severe pain,often accompanied by nausea, fever, chills and possibly blood in urine (pee). This is a very serious condition that would require an immediate trip to the emergency room for treatment right away.

However, anytime you have even mild pain in your testicles that lasts longer than a few days or you notice a lump or swelling, you should consider making an appointment with your health care provider. Over-the-counter pain relievers such as ibuprofen may help relieve minor discomfort and wearing an athletic supporter such as a jockstrap, or cup may help too.

Young Men’s Health (YMH) is produced by the Division of Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine at Boston Children’s Hospital. The purpose of the website is to provide carefully researched health information to teenage boys and young men.